Verbena plant named ‘Duemphopich’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Duemphopich’, characterized by its semi-upright, compact and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and large dark pink-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliage in mounded umbels.

Botanical designation: Verbena hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEMPHOPICH’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duemphopich’.

The new Verbena plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new semi-upright and compact Verbena plants with numerous attractive flowers.

The new Verbena plant originated from a self-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2006 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietary selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number F-12-16, not patented. The new Verbena plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated self-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since May, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Verbena have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duemphopich’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duemphopich’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena:

-   -   1. Semi-upright, compact and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large dark pink-colored flowers that are held above and         beyond the foliage in mounded umbels.

Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are larger than plants of the         parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the parent selection differ in         flower color as plants of the parent selection have         salmon-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the Verbena hybrida ‘Arbena’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,760. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of ‘Arbena’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more compact than plants of         ‘Arbena’.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter internodes than plants         of ‘Arbena’.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena had shorter leaves than plants of         ‘Arbena’.     -   4. Plants of the new Verbena had larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘Arbena’.     -   5. Plants of the new Verbena had darker pink-colored flowers         than plants of ‘Arbena’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Verbena plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Verbena plant. The photograph comprises a close-up view of typical leaves and inflorescences of ‘Duemphopich’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in 10.5-cm containers in Rheinberg, Germany in a glass-covered greenhouse during the summer and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting. Plants were ten weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida ‘Duemphopich’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena             hybrida identified as code number F-12-16, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Verbena             hybrida identified as code number F-12-16, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Semi-upright, compact and mounded plant habit;             freely branching habit with about four to six primary             lateral branches with secondary lateral branches potentially             forming at every node; pinching enhances lateral branch             development; dense and bushy plant habit; moderately             vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 11 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 20 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 16 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Color.—Close to 143A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 3.9 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Lobed.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent, coarse.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 141A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 141A to 141B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Between 137A and 139A;             venation, close to 144A to 144B. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 144C to             144D.         -   Petiole length.—About 2.8 mm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 1.8 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in             hemispherical terminal umbels; umbels dense and mounding;             numerous umbels covering the entire plant; flowers face             upward or outward; freely flowering habit with about 20             flowers and flower buds per inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—Flowers not fragrant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             the spring through the fall in Germany; plants begin             flowering about eight weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 3.8 cm. Diameter: About 6             cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,             five-parted. Diameter: About 2.2 cm. Depth: About 2.7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm.             Shape: Oval, tubular. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.             Petal lobe length: About 1 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1 cm.             Petal lobe shape: Obovate. Petal lobe apex: Emarginate.             Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 57A. When opening, lower surface:             Close to 57C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 66A;             towards the base, close to 1C to 1D; color becoming closer             to 67A with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 66C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five fused             sepals. Sepal length: About 1.4 cm. Sepal width: About             1.5 mm. Sepal shape: Ligulate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal             margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent, coarse. Sepal color, upper and lower surfaces:             Between 146A and 144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.7 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 0.5 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: About             four to five per flower, adnate to corolla tube. Anther             shape: Oval. Anther length: About 0.75 mm. Anther color:             Close to 144B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close             to 2D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length:             About 1.7 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close             to 144A. Style length: About 1.6 cm. Style color: Close to             144D. Ovary color: Close to 144C. Fruits/seeds: Fruit and             seed development has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Verbenas. 

1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘Duemphopich’ as illustrated and described. 